Great Weather

Finally we had some great weather yesterday and got to lay out some more drip lines and plant onion sets and carrots. Today our schedule is to get the upper layer of drips done and plant out some potato's. My goal is to have two harvest of potato's one early and one towards fall.

The Pok choy in the greenhouse I growing like crazy I am going to have to see if it will last for market. Not sure yet so we may be eating a lot of pok choy. The spinach should and is looking terrific. I have notices grasshoppers in the greenhouse so I am going to have to pick up some Nolo bait. (all organic) I also have to pick up the swamp cooler for the greenhouse that will make it easier to maintain a cooler temperature. It can get really hot in there last year it was around 130 some days. Not too conducive to growing much. Tomatoes and Peppers usually like it around 80-95.

I am almost ready for visitors I only have a few days left until May which is our scheduled open for daily guest. I am hoping they gave me a chance to get set up and ready. The will really experience a working farm otherwise.

Blessings

Teresa

Wind Wind Wind

Well it's been ok for the temperature but the wind has been killing me. I am ahead of schedule as far as my planting goes so I am still doing great but this wind has been putting a damper on my planting. Last week I got onions, beets, carrots and spinach planted. This week I will work on more onions, spinach, carrots, beets, peas, greens, kohlrabi, broccoli and others. Today so far is looking great and it's nice and sunny.

The little chickens are growing like crazy and so are the geese. Little wing man who has lost his wing to the cat and also had an episode with a skunk is still hanging in there. We say he has nine lives and has used 7 so far. He seems a little skittish but that is definitely understandable. The Turkeys are growing bigger every day and they are mean as heck. Well not sure if mean is the word but don't put your hand or eyeballs anywhere close to them.

Today is bread day on the farm and so far I have Oatmeal, Poppy seed Bagels, Plain Bagels, Banana Muffins, Stone Hearth Breads and I am working on my Braided Wheat. I get up pretty early to get these done and start the bagels the night before. All to be delivered to the Farm Restaurant on Mondays. I have been getting quite a few customers for breads which is good but keeps me pretty busy.

Well back to the grind daylight is burning and there is much planting to be done.

Teresa

Lil piggy lil piggy won't you come home

Well we have now delved in to the pig business. We have decided to purchase a few pigs not only to eat and sell but too help root up some land. Instead of the tractor rental this year we opted for the pig clearing method. Talk about biodynamic! The pig roots up your field as she placed in an area you would like cleared. She roots her little nose just like pigs do cleaning and clearing everything while dropping the most wonderful of fertilizers. Then you not only get the land cleared, you get fertilizer and then you also have some wonderful bacon and sausage. We have decided to allow the pigs in a piece we would like cleared they will be preceded by the goats who will move to the next paddock while the pigs do their work. The last but not least will be the chickens and the turkey's. At least this is our plan. We picked up the little cuties on Monday. That was also double duty I got to visit my grand kids and pick up the piggy's. Poor things I thought they would freeze to death going through Flagstaff but nope they came home just fine.

We hauled them back in the sheep pen not telling them they did not have their own little pen. Right now we have them in a holding pen getting them acclimated to us so they don't run when they see us. It has been so windy lately it has been hard to do anything else but feed them and work in the greenhouse. Today the wind is not suppose to be bad this morning so I am going to try and get some drip hose laid out and some lettuce in for May's market. The greenhouse is doing great I just have two beds to pull. I will usually wait until the bad days to work in there on changing beds etc. Spring is so busy and the weather so changing I try to get in what time I have to do all the outside work.

The animals are up early today usually they are sleepy heads not arising until after 7-730 but I can see the little piggy's poking their heads out from the straw. Sage and Pearl our saanan goats are playing around in the yard. I know it' s warming up now because Sage will not usually step out from the barn until it is well warming up. She is such the I am not going out in that weather gal.

Spring is here!

Wow! It's been a busy week not surprising it's spring. I am at a push to try and get carrots and peas in the ground. I have been working on the front bed all week prepping and preparing the bed. I have installed the new drip system partially and it's up and running. Although this is a pain and tedious it saves time and money in the long run.

Last year all year long I was moving hoses and it was not at all efficient, but this year without the tea room going I have more time. I have been working between storms though which makes it kind of hard. Life of a farmer I guess.

Dad and I finished the fence for the pigs this week. It is only temporary until we can get the one up in the pasture area. I have so much I would like for the to clear in the brush area of the farm so they are going to be serving two purposes this year. Land renewal and food and you can't beat that. I am planning for them to be my little work horses for this years farming plans.

The weather has been so bad lately one day snow, one day wind it makes it hard to lay down weed barrier which I so need. Last year I did not lay down any barrier and the weeds were horendous. So again this year saving time and money not having to hire someone to weed and laying down that barrier should help.

Our farm is on a piece of property we bought that really was never worked. So our first beds we have had to work the soil to be up to par and try and erradicate years worth of weeds. It's an ongoing process that is complicated by this Canadian Thistle and Bind weed that we have such a hard time with. I tell everyone I am surprised the bind weed has not tried to take over the house. I am in hope that with the pigs, chickens, goats, and turkey's I will be able to sustainably and naturally keep the weeds at bay. We are going to try and rotate the pigs in several different paddocks this year so they don't tear anything up too bad. We will be using the goats and next in the cycle will be the pigs and then finish up with the chickens and turkey's. Hopefully this should create some nice planting areas for next year.

I am getting everything for my CSA and classes I am teaching this year ready. I will be posting everything on the community boards throughout town. Hopefully I can get several for the earlier classes on herbs to start this season. I have also been working to get the stuff ready for the agrotourism board. I would love to generate some extra income from farm tours or people visiting and buying. Not having to leave home and still earning money is my ideal life. :)

Sun's coming up and I have lots to do so off to the farm!